Last month we wrote about a scheme we’d heard about whereby diners with well-behaved kids received a discount on their meal. Now a hair salon in South Australia has turned this idea upside down by penalising parents whose children are disruptive, announcing their new pricing structure through a controversial sign.

The sign — “Screaming kids will be charged accordingly’’ – was displayed in the Jaggered Edge salon window at the Hollywood Plaza shopping centre for a fortnight until a war of words erupted on the business’ Facebook site last weekend.

Parents of autistic children took offence to the policy and vented their anger via Facebook and the issue appeared on other parenting social media sites.

One woman posted a photograph of the sign on the salon’s site saying: “Don’t you know some children have high anxiety over haircuts and possibly other issues?’’

How the salon responded

The sign was removed on Sunday and the Salisbury Downs salon posted an apology for the wording on its site but insisted the sign did not refer to special-needs children.

“We most certainly did not aim to discriminate or offend anyone,’’ the post said.

“This sign is not aimed at special-needs children at all.’’

“It is so nerve racking, scary and overwhelming – almost sickening for the stylist trying to cut a screaming kid’s hair.

You almost feel sick to the stomach that the child is going to move and you are going to clip their ear or cut their skin.

When we are put in that position and its takes 30-45 minutes, then yes, I’m sorry, we are going to have to charge a little extra.”

Image: Jaggered Edge Hair & Beauty Facebook

The haircuts that kids don’t need

Instead, salon owner Robert Ferrante told The Advertiser that frustration at dealing with parents seeking special hair styles for their youngsters — including mohican cuts — partly prompted the sign, which also said: “Please don’t force your child to have a haircut’’.

“The thing we were worried about was kids being upset before entering the store,’’ he said.

And distress levels reached such a sate that “parents were putting their kids in headlocks,’’ Mr Ferrante said.

Salon manger Alice Hay said the salon was going to charge an extra $4 for kid’s haircuts which lasted more than 30 minutes, but hadn’t needed to while the sign was up.

The salon’s explanation of the sign, however, did not dampen the often virulent debate on Facebook.

What the public said

In responses to the sign, Facebook users had this to say:

“MY son has ADHD and I took offence because of the wording.”

“AS a mother of an autistic child I wouldn’t step foot on you salon after reading that.”

“SO now every place in the world is going to … charge extra for a kid that cries.”

“SINCE when do you have to pay extra for a child who doesn’t like to have their hair cut?”

But there was plenty of positive feedback too, including:

“WE take our severely disabled child here for her haircuts. They are fantastic.”

“TOO many people waiting to be offended in this day and age.”

“MAYBE the sign was worded wrong but the intentions behind it were not malicious or nasty or directed at special needs children …”

“IF my child was misbehaving I’d be more than happy to pay the extra.”